Zotero Plugins (2026): 11 Most Starred on GitHub, Compared

If you use Zotero for research, plugins are how you add the jobs it doesn't do out of the box: citation keys for LaTeX, translating a paper as you read it, writing notes inside your library, or sending items across to Notion. Most of them live on GitHub, and that's where every number below comes from.

Each count is from the GitHub repository page of each plugin (stars, last push and licence), as of Oct 2026. A star shows that someone bookmarked a project, not that they installed it, so read stars as interest rather than use. The eleven are listed alphabetically and in no particular order. If you're still choosing a note app to sit next to Zotero, my guide to the best note-taking apps is a good place to start.

Zotero plugins side by side: what each one adds

Type and Good for come from each repository's own description, as of Oct 2026. GitHub repositories don't name a free plan the way a store listing does, so the last column reads Not stated for all eleven. Check the licence and readme on each repository before you install.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
notero	Notion sync plugin	Sending Zotero items and notes to Notion	Not stated
zotero-actions-tags	Workflow plugin	Custom actions and tags in Zotero	Not stated
zotero-better-bibtex	Citation key plugin	Citation keys and exports for LaTeX users	Not stated
zotero-better-notes	Note plugin	Managing notes inside Zotero	Not stated
zotero-citation	Word citation plugin	Easier, clearer Zotero citations in Word	Not stated
zotero-gpt	AI plugin	GPT inside your Zotero library	Not stated
zotero-mcp	AI connector	Linking Zotero to AI assistants through MCP	Not stated
zotero-pdf-translate	Translation plugin	Translating PDFs, EPubs, notes and annotations	Not stated
zotero-reference	PDF references plugin	Seeing a PDF's references inside Zotero	Not stated
zotero-style	Look and feel plugin	A restyled look for Zotero	Not stated
zotmoov	Attachment plugin	Moving and linking attachment files automatically	Not stated

Eleven Zotero plugins, listed alphabetically

notero

Best for: Syncing Zotero items and notes into Notion, for researchers who plan and write in Notion but collect their sources in Zotero.

zotero-actions-tags

Best for: Customising your Zotero workflow with actions and tags, from windingwind, the developer behind two other plugins on this list.

zotero-better-bibtex

Best for: LaTeX writers who need stable citation keys, from a long-running plugin that says it makes Zotero work for LaTeX holdouts.

zotero-better-notes

Best for: Keeping every note inside Zotero, for people who want reading notes and their sources in one place rather than spread across apps.

zotero-citation

Best for: Word users who want Zotero citations in their documents to be easier to add and clearer to read, going by its description.

zotero-gpt

Best for: Pairing a GPT model with your Zotero library, going by its short description, from MuiseDestiny's set of Zotero plugins.

zotero-mcp

Best for: Connecting your Zotero library to Claude and other AI assistants through the Model Context Protocol, to discuss papers, get summaries and look at citations.

zotero-pdf-translate

Best for: Reading papers in another language, with translation for PDFs, EPubs, web pages, metadata, annotations and notes across more than 20 translation services.

zotero-reference

Best for: Pulling up the references inside a PDF while you read, from a plugin that calls itself a PDF references add-on for Zotero.

zotero-style

Best for: Changing how your Zotero library looks, from a plugin whose one-line description promises an ethereal style for Zotero.

zotmoov

Best for: Moving attachment files automatically and linking them back to Zotero, for anyone whose attachment folder has got out of hand.

How these Zotero plugins were picked

The list is built from public numbers only: GitHub stars, the date of the last push to each repository, the licence and the account GitHub shows as the owner. Nothing here was installed or scored, and GitHub has no rating to borrow, so the order is alphabetical, not a league table.

Two developers own most of this Zotero shelf

Here's what you wouldn't guess: a handful of people build most of the popular Zotero plugins. windingwind owns three of the eleven: zotero-pdf-translate (12,178 GitHub stars), zotero-better-notes (8,394) and zotero-actions-tags (2,860). MuiseDestiny owns four: zotero-gpt (7,498), zotero-style (5,328), zotero-reference (2,830) and zotero-citation (1,287), all as of Oct 2026.

That's worth knowing before you build a setup around them. If one of those developers steps back, several plugins in your Zotero could stop being updated at the same time, so keep an eye on the last push date as well as the stars. For comparison, zotero-better-bibtex, the long-running citation key plugin from retorquere, shows 7,251 stars and a last push of October 28, 2026.

Which kind of Zotero plugin for which research job

• You write in LaTeX: pick the citation key plugin built for LaTeX users.
• You read papers in another language: pick a translation plugin that handles PDFs, annotations and notes.
• Your notes are scattered across apps: pick a note plugin that keeps notes inside Zotero.
• You want AI help with your papers: pick one of the AI helpers, and read its repository first to see which AI service it connects to.
• Your projects live in Notion: pick the sync plugin that sends items and notes across.
• Your attachment folder is a mess: pick a plugin that moves and links attachment files for you.
• You cite in Word: pick the plugin that sets out to make Zotero citations in Word easier.

Reading a plugin's GitHub page before you install

1. Check the last push date. On this list it runs from March 27, 2026 to October 29, 2026, as of Oct 2026.
2. Look at the licence. Most here use AGPL-3.0, a few use MIT and one uses GPL-3.0.
3. Read the readme for install steps and the Zotero versions it supports.
4. Back up your Zotero library before you add several plugins at once.
5. For an AI helper, check where your papers are sent before you connect your library.

If you're using AI for study more widely, my roundup of AI writing tools that help students study covers the writing side.

Do you make Zotero plugins? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on Zotero plugins

Start with the one job that wastes most of your time in Zotero and add a single plugin for it. Citation keys, translation, notes, attachments and AI help are all covered here. Check the last push date and the licence before you install, back up your library, and only add the next plugin once the first one's earning its place.

If you're studying and want quicker ways to work through your reading, my ChatGPT prompts for studying are worth a look too.

Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.

Frequently asked questions

What are Zotero plugins?

They're add-ons that give Zotero extra features, such as citation keys, PDF translation, note tools or AI helpers. Most are open source projects hosted on GitHub.

Are GitHub stars the same as downloads?

No. A star means someone bookmarked the repository. It's a sign of interest, not a count of installs, so read it next to the last push date.

Which Zotero plugin helps with LaTeX?

The long-running citation key plugin on this list describes itself as making Zotero effective for LaTeX users. Its last push was October 28, 2026, as of Oct 2026.

Are there AI plugins for Zotero?

Yes. Several entries here are AI helpers, including one that connects your library to AI assistants through the Model Context Protocol. Check which service your papers go to before you use one.

Who makes the most popular Zotero plugins?

windingwind has three entries on this list and MuiseDestiny has four, going by GitHub as of Oct 2026. The rest come from separate developers.